Cardinal Jose Advincula, the archbishop-elect of Manila, will receive his “red hat” in a ceremony to be held at the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral in Roxas City, Capiz on May 28.
The ceremony will be led by Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, who will also bestow the cardinal’s ring upon the outgoing Capiz archbishop, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines posted on its website last night.
Fr. Emilio Arbatin, spokesperson of the Capiz archdiocese, said that only about 300 people will be allowed inside the cathedral due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic and health protocols.
He said the attendance will be composed of the cardinal’s immediate family, some bishops, priests, and a representative from each of the archdiocese’s 67 parishes and mission stations.
In October last year, Pope Francis announced the 13 new additions to the College of Cardinals, two of them are from Asia including Cardinal Cornelius Sim, Brunei’s first cardinal.
But with the consistory on Nov. 28 occurring during the pandemic, Advincula and Sim did not make it to Rome because of travel restrictions, the CBCP said.
While many Rome-based cardinals attended the consistory, Advincula, Sim and other cardinals joined the celebration at the St. Peter’s Basilica online.
Advincula, 69, is the country’s ninth cardinal, following cardinals Orlando Quevedo, Luis Antonio Tagle, Gaudencio Rosales, Jose Sanchez, Ricardo Vidal, Jaime Sin, Julio Rosales, and Rufino Santos.
Advincula is also a former prelate of the Diocese of San Carlos in Negros.
On March 25, the pope appointed him as Manila archbishop, succeeding Tagle, who now heads the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
The archdiocese has yet to officially announce the date of Advincula’s installation as the 33rd archbishop of Manila. — CGC
